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* Bill Brady and others took a little heat for appearing this past Saturday on the same stage as a very controversial activist…
Chicago immigrant rights activists and religious leaders are upset that the Republican candidate for Illinois governor, state Sen. Bill Brady, and other Republican politicians are scheduled to share the stage Saturday with a woman who is the founder of the Illinois Minuteman Project and has made controversial comments about immigrants, Catholics and Muslims.
Rosanna Pulido, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress, is scheduled to speak at a Tea Party rally in Bartlett this afternoon hosted by the Tri-Count-Teas. They also have invited Republican politicians, including state Sen. Randy Hultgren, a candidate for Congress in the 14th District , Angel Garcia, a candidate for Cook County Clerk, and Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica.
Click here for the press release announcing the event. We’ve been over this before, but here’s a sampling of Pulido’s comments…
Responding to the post by someone else: “Oh I don’t know, those pictures of dozens of men in mosques kneeling on prayer rugs with their heads down low always looks pretty funny to me,” [Pulido] says: It reminds me of my dog, smelling butts.” December 28, 2003
“Cardinal George is responsible for every illegal immigrant who dies while crossing the border coming over here because he is luring them.” March 23, 2008
Referring to the gay community: “Face it, its better to be in a meat packing town than in a fudge packing town.” (post #42), November 7, 2008
“Great! Now the gays can indoctrinate the other kids who are struggling, they will be told that they have gay tendencies and be lead along like sheep to the slaughter.” (post #3), November 18, 2008
But Pulido’s speech actually whacked Brady but good over some of his votes and his support for more legal immigration…
Brady’s own speech can be seen by clicking here (Part 1) and here (Part 2). Pretty standard stuff. He didn’t address Pulido’s charges, but he entirely avoided talking about immigration.
* Meanwhile, Brady’s campaign has named state Rep. Ron Stephens chairman of Veterans for Brady/Plummer. From a press release…
Springfield, IL…On Sunday, a group of veterans and elected officials gathered at the Illinois State Fair to announce the formation of “Veterans for Brady/Plummer,” a volunteer organization of supporters who believe Bill Brady and Jason Plummer are the right choice to protect and preserve veterans’ benefits and opportunities over the next four years.
“Our fiscal problems at the state level have affected each and every person in Illinois, including veterans and their families,” said State Representative and U.S. Army Veteran Ron Stephens. “I’ve known Senator Brady for twenty years, and I assure you, veterans and their families will always be a top priority of his administration. We need a real advocate in the Governor’s office, someone who stands by his word and someone who will protect the interests of the men and women who so bravely protected our freedoms abroad.” Representative Stephens will be serving as chairman of “Veterans for Brady/Plummer.”
Really? Ron Stephens? The pharmacist who got busted for doing drugs several years ago, then nearly lost his pharmacist license after being popped for a DUI earlier this year? He has an honorable service record and I’ve always firmly believed that a simple (not aggravated circustances) DUI ought not be the end of the world. But Stephens’ misbehavior far transcends those two public sanctions, so putting him front and center ain’t exactly the best idea I’ve ever heard. Maybe the Brady campaign will help administer his random drug tests.
* The Dold for Congress campaign has been busted red-handed for sockpuppetry…
The revelation came after Kelly Klopp, the spokesman for 10th District congressional hopeful Robert Dold, accidentally sent an e-mail to a Daily Herald reporter Wednesday with instructions to “please get some positive comments up” in the comments section attached to a story about a Dold television commercial.
In the e-mail, Klopp suggested possible messages for the volunteers to post, including “Heard the ad and liked it” and “Nice to see the candidate talk about himself without just attacking his opponent.” […]
“Volunteers write letters to the editors for us, put up yard signs, hand out literature - we’re always encouraging supporters and volunteers to join the public debate,” [Klopp] said. […]
The Dold campaign uses college-age volunteers to post comments on the Web about the candidate, Klopp said. The team she intended to activate Wednesday is based at DePaul University, she said.
Yeah, well, there’s a fine line between encouraging supporters to join the public debate and downright deception. For instance, during the primary I posted Dold’s first TV ad. Here’s one of the comments…
- paul the blue lib - Thursday, Dec 17, 09 @ 3:09 pm:
Dold had a good ad, kinda energy like he is actually going to get some stuff done—not that I hope he gets anything done, but the ad is pretty good.
That’s classic sockpuppetry. Why? Because the IP address of that commenter - 64.81.157.18 - is from Dold for Congress. Illinois Reason has also had a problem with this. The Daily Herald editorialized against the practice…
The message for politicians cuts more to the quick: When you do this, when you allow your campaigns to do this, it may just seem like standard electioneering, but it is fundamentally dishonest.
It may be a small lie, but it is a lie all the same. It tries to pretend that a testimonial is spontaneous when in fact it is orchestrated by the campaign. And that’s a falsehood.
It is fundamentally dishonest and inherently unethical.
You cannot gain the public’s trust by engaging in untrustworthy political practices.
* Campaign 2010 roundup…
* New Website: Who Is Joe Berrios?
* 10th Congressional District: Israel forum participation debated: “Dan greatly respects Protect our Heritage and shares their commitment to strengthening our special relationship with Israel. Unfortunately, the nature of the forum changed significantly from our original agreement, leading us to decline to participate in a situation that had become inherently unfair and uniquely weighted against Dan,” according to a campaign statement.
* Press release: Governor Quinn Celebrates Veterans’ Day at Illinois State Fair
* Quinn paid the entry ticket of Illinois State fair
* Mark Kirk, the lame-duck killer
* Wilson: Illinois governor’s race focuses on raises, budget cuts
* Campaign focus moves to Illinois State Fair
* Schoenburg: Think tank’s fair views draw Quinn rebuke
* Journal-Standard: State election has federal impact
* Lawrence: Blagojevich — and Quinn — have mismanaged state government
* Brady fires up GOP picnic
* Comptroller candidates seek a peek at public servants’ paychecks
* 56th District rivals share views on fixing budget
* Higgins challenges opponent on Madigan IOUs
* 8th Congressional hopefuls spar over health care
* Seals hits the airwaves in 10th
* They may be a tough sell, but money issues back on the ballot this fall
* Register Star: Combining pension funds little more than a bandage
* In My View: State must try to reinforce ‘safety net’
* Sun-Times: Sex-offender limits sometimes go too far
* State agencies grapple with budgets as more cuts loom
* Gov. vetoes bill to block access to state job review
* Atheist challenges state grant to Bald Knob cross
* Professors, graduates say [NIU College of Engineering] lets some opt out of core course
* Tollway chief gives new team an incomplete, as hardest job still ahead
* Finke: Furlough-funding shortfall proves fortunate
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 1:34 pm
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I’m still miffed that ICIRR didn’t include me in their letter demanding Rosanna Pulido be excommunicated… as if I’m not important enough to get an open letter.
Pfft.
Comment by John Bambenek Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 1:37 pm
John, I had a private bet with myself that you would be the first to post a comment here. Thanks. I won. Or lost, depending… lol
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 1:39 pm
I have to think most veterans know where Quinn has been on their imporantant issues.
Comment by Niles Township Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 1:43 pm
Rich-
You win the honor of buying me a drink Thursday after the State Fair. How about that?
Comment by John Bambenek Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 1:47 pm
Both parties have “activists” who say outrageous things at rallies. Some of them are even elected officials.
If you’ve ever been to a Democratic rally and heard what some of the union leaders say to enthuse some of the troops you know what I mean and of course there is always people like Senator Ricky Hendon.
Old saying holds true that neither party has a monopoly on virtue nor vice.
Comment by keeler Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 1:50 pm
Pulido has a pretty long history of being either at the fringe of the Republican party or spurning it altogether. Doesn’t stop her from repeatedly running as a Republican. Her love/hate relationship with the party doesn’t seem to cut both ways.
“You can’t mix up conservatives and Republicans, they are not the same.” This is a Pulido quote you omitted that came right off the video you posted.
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 1:52 pm
I am surprised more people don’t make the mistake dold’s flak did. When you consider the multitasking, fatigue and simple human error, you’d think more people would accidentally cc things to reporters.
If there was any question what kind of a year it is for which party, that brady has been unapologetically not moving to the center and getting on stage with these kinds of people should give you an indication of how much rope he thinks he has with voters. It’s not the mark of a party worried that its conservatism will cost it in november.
Comment by shore Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 1:52 pm
keeler, the point is that the “activists” not be hidden, so go
ahead on and say when someone on the nut end speaks
for a Democrat. but I’ll bet those ends are more in the
mainstream than those who suport Brady.
my favorite nut ends who supported Brady in the primary….
links from his web site to theirs…..were two so called
“right to life groups” with activities like Protest the Pill
and outlaw in-vitro fertilization. that’s who they are,
that’s more of the Brady linked support.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 1:54 pm
For someone who hates the Republican party as much as Pulido does she certainly wants their attention and help the times she relents to the R be put next to her name. The sooner she goes away or starts the “Kentucky Minuteman Project” the better we will all be.
Comment by Bakersfield Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 2:10 pm
She is part of the Constitution Party now, she helped get Stufflebeam on the ballot.
Comment by davE Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 2:14 pm
The coursework thing about NIU is an interesting read. If they are letting that many students take a different class it needs to be looked into.
Comment by OneMan Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 2:30 pm
It is a shame that Dan Seals bailed on the To Protect our Heritage event in Northbrook. I can understand why he had to though, Alexi left him debating Mark and Bob 2 on 1. Alexi is getting to the point of can not be trusted on Israel in the Jewish Community. There are now HARDCORE Jewish Democrats who are now flipping to vote for Kirk due to their anger at Alexi. Alexi’s campaign has stayed SILENT! WHAT A JOKE!
Comment by Rahm's Parking Meter Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 2:34 pm
1. The Dold campaign stunt is nothing not surprising and certainly nothing new. Just reading the letters to the editors in the local newspapers, you can tell they are all written and orchestrated by various political campaigns.
2. The Seals/Protect Our Heritage article either does not do a very good job of presenting Seals concerns, or Seals pretty much abandoned the debate upon learning that Alexi was not participating — which would be pretty weak on Seals’ part.
Comment by Just Observing Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 2:34 pm
Truthseeking is an honorable pursuit, so highlighting the attempt of a campaign to salt comment sections is appropriate as long as we can also be told who pays for the expenses of all the charter buses who descend on Springfield demanding benefits or tax increases.
It is not cheap to equip the ‘citizen activists’ with matching t-shirts, box lunches, pre-printed signs etc. Not disclosing the sources of funding for that kind of speech is just as dumb.
Either activity can be determined to be sock-puppetry, or simply explaining to volunteers how the game is played.
Comment by Plutocrat03 Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 2:35 pm
Rosanna Pulido - racist, bigot and right wing conservative…what a gal!
Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 2:40 pm
Quick! who is head of Vets for Quinn or Students for Quinn or Farmers for Quinn??? Obviously this is an insider type thing, no big deal for the regular voter. However, for us IL political junkies, it does show a pattern of questionable decision making by Brady. Why can’t this guy be slightly better than average??? He could walk away with this thing.
Comment by Red Ranger Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 2:42 pm
Boo-hoo for the Daily Herald…This is a campaign tactic that has been around for years under the guise of letters to the editor or planted soft-ball questions at a debate/townhall meeting. If the Daily Herald doesn’t want this type of legitimate campaigning to occur on their watch, they should shut down their comment sections and refuse to publish letters to the editor 90 days before a campaign.
Comment by SangamoGOP Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 2:50 pm
Just Observing … letters to the editor based on a template are different than the sockpuppetry mentioned here. Letters to the editor still have to be signed and submitted by a real person.
And Pluto, again, the issue you raise is different as well. Why do you care if a union or organization pays for buses, shirts, lunches and the like for their dues-paying members to attend a rally?
Both of those are VERY different than a candidate or campaign posing as a real person to make comments that are supposedly objective and from a third-party? It’s one thing for T.O. to stand up as T.O. and talk about T.O. It’s another things for Dold or Brady or anyone else to pose as “Joe Taxpayer”.
Comment by ShadyBillBrady Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 2:56 pm
FYI Rosanna Pulido is 100% Mexican.
While I do not agree illegal’s need to be shipped out of the country, I appreciate that she knows how to express her view. I also like that she can express, for her, politics has become a zero sum game. She, like many, is frustrated at the fiction in political debate.
Look at our candidates, except Quinn with the tax raise, who has any specific proposals.
Most politicians just want the power. They really have no cause.
I am sure the flack Pulido catches is overwhelming. Call her a racist; call her a bigot, her point of view is ignored on all levels. You can say she is ignored because her speech is full of hate. I say she is not really a politician because she pushes our hypocrisy into our faces.
Name one politician that has proposed any solution to the illegal status population.
In my opinion, she is a patriot. She knows her speech giving days are numbered. She continues out of the pride of being a third generation Mexican American. Her solutions may be stupid, but at least she knows there is a problem.
I notice no one ever lays there cards out. Here is my position.
I believe if some can prove they have been in the US ten years, they should be able to buy a green card for $25,000.00. That’s right put a price on it. Capitalism works.
Name one politician that has proposed any solution to the illegal status population.
Comment by gg Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 3:09 pm
===she pushes our hypocrisy into our faces.===
Yeah. OK. That’s it. I’m sure.
Sheesh.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 3:13 pm
I remember reading in a biography of Alexander Hamilton about how he would write anonymous newspaper commentaries praising his own anonymous newspaper commentaries (under a different psuedonym, of course). So it definitely isn’t a new tactic.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 3:21 pm
Anon-
Aaron Burr solved that problem.
Just sayin’
Comment by John Bambenek Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 3:36 pm
===Name one politician that has proposed any solution to the illegal status population.===
Here’s three for the price of one: John McCain, Ted Kennedy, George W. Bush.
Now go ahead and blast this comprehensive solution as “amnesty” or whatever new reason there is to oppose the only sensible solution that’s been proposed in decades, and the only one that had a chance of becoming law.
But please don’t say no one is trying to address this problem.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 3:45 pm
Dan Seals should have been roundly criticized only if he had agreed to debate at To Protect Our Heritage. The organization is a republican PAC that donated over $20K to Mark Kirk and surrounded it’s table that the Jewish Festival with Kirk for Senate signs. It’s ridiculous to even suggest that organization is qualified to do a debate and reminds me of the HCAN debate on HCR where the moderator and all the speakers were from HCAN or affiliated companies. In any event, Mark Kirk and Bob Dold are invited to debate in my living room. I even offered to bake a zucchini bread. No takers? Wonder why.
Comment by Ellen Beth Gill Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 3:46 pm
Ellen, I lived my whole life in the 10th and have been involved in the Pro Israel community. They have on their website endorsed Republicans and Democrats. If you look at their site it shows endorsements for Harry Reid and Roy Blunt, not bedfellows in the least bit. Plus, they are hosting a debate between Rep. Schakowsky and Joel Pollack. So how are they strictly Republican Ellen?
Comment by Rahm's Parking Meter Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 4:00 pm
I should correct myself, I just moved out of the 10th 2 months ago lol.
Comment by Rahm's Parking Meter Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 4:01 pm
@ 47
I stand corrected.
I am not against amnesty per se.
I just do not see how there can be any teeth in a law without a substantial bite to the buyer.
I see amnesty as just a invitation to more of the same as in 1986.
Once again I stand corrected.
Comment by gg Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 4:05 pm
There can be no “comprehensive” immigration reform until the boarders are secured. Once that is done and shown to be effective, there is a huge opportunity for bipartisanship.
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 4:07 pm
I’m with Cincinnatus. lock it down.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 4:18 pm
===until the boarders are secured===
You mean the people who rent a room in Aunt Milly’s B & B must be tucked into bed at night before we can address the problem?
Oh, you must have meant borders, as in the impossibly long Canadian border. I know it’s weird, but I don’t recall anyone demanding a fence to keep the hockey-loving hordes out (pronouced ooot) of the US of A.
If Canadians can’t sneak into this country, do you realize what that would do the comedy industry in the US? Nothing would be funny anymore.
Nothing.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 4:19 pm
47th,
LOL on spelling error.
On Canadians: Not only comedy - Shatner. Wait, that might be the same thing…
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 4:23 pm
Ellen has trouble reading. To Protect Our Heritage PAC has not given Robert Dold any money nor has it ever endorsed him. There’s no excuse for Dan Seals not to participate in that debate other than the fact that he feels himself above the jewish community and is afraid to debate the issues.
Alexi needs to be there because he has no record with the jewish community and no record on foreign affairs other than a pathetic Mediterranean junket he took with senator durbin several years ago. Alexi did horribly in the north suburbs in the primary-the heavily jewish pro mark kirk suburbs and if he wants to concede the jewish vote to congressman kirk and hide out at the east bank club or wherever he spends his time playing basketball so be it.
Comment by shore Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 4:33 pm
It’s so simple now maybe you need a refresher course..Its ALL sockpuppetry nowadays!!
Comment by Fletch Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 4:43 pm
No surprise about Dold. That practice is now prevalent for businesses in the media in addition to politics. Simply a now classic pr tactic.
Comment by A.B. Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 5:13 pm
If you will whine about campaigns inserting info into the media stream, then full disclosure would dictate that anyone hyping some issue be proud of what they are doing and come out of the shadows. If you rent a mob or hire professional demonstrators, then the public has a right to know that the effort it is not a spontaneous gathering of citizens.
I don’t care whether a union or organization spends money on an event. They should simply own up to it, It should apply to everyone, not just your opponents.
Comment by Plutocrat03 Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 5:21 pm
its funny that there is a post titled “the company you keep” about the tea party and republican candidates. Yet there is a glowing article about Jim Edgar and Rosti.
Comment by Moving to Oklahoma Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 8:37 pm
C, securing the borders would seem easier if demand could be tamped down for illegal workers. Is more aggressive and stricter enforcement against employers part of the solution?
Comment by steve schnorf Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 9:02 pm
Hey Oklahoma - Edgar was a Republican. Probably still is.
Comment by Anonymiss Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 9:31 pm
@Cincinatus —
Obama has increased spending for border patrol and dramatically increased crackdowns on unethical employers who hire illegal workers to the tune of record-setting amount of fines against them.
And lo n behold crime along the border is lower than it was under Bush.
Not even the most heavily armed and landmined borders (North Korea, Iran) are completely secured. Hikers still manage to wander into their territories too.
Get over yourself my fellow American and admit that Obama is doing more about border security than Bush ever did.
Comment by G. Willickers Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 9:43 pm
@Rahms Parking Meter —
Protect our Heritage PAC has been donating to Mark Kirk for years and like Ellen Beth said the group had Kirk signs peppered all over their booth at the local fair.
It doesn’t matter if they back both Dems and GOPs when the local GOP they’re backing just happens to be the guy who ran against Seals the last two cycles.
Why on earth would Dan Seals bother with such a group so clearly biased against him?
Comment by G. Willickers Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 9:45 pm
Very surprising there ws not more praise to the very shrewd decision to name RXRon to head Vets for Brady. Was he the only vet Daddy’s Little Deduction knew. Was there a statewide search?
If the Trib wants the docs on the pick for U of I prexy they should FOI this selection process too.
Does the position come with a driver? ev
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 10:21 pm
Calling Pulido a conservative is like calling Ayers a liberal. Neither of them speak for real conservatives or liberals.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 11:13 pm
@ Vanilla —
Methinks when GOPs — conservatives and other GOPs alike — nominated Pullido to speak for them when she ran for Congress that she was speaking for them.
My hunch is she was speaking for them with words and everything.
Comment by G. Willickers Tuesday, Aug 17, 10 @ 12:33 am
steve,
Yes, increased use of E-verify and a crackdown on employers is on my list. So is easy temporary work visas. So is ILLEGAL immigrant quick deportation, and the use of local law enforcement officials to monitor and enforce illegal activity.
G,
I never said Obama has not enforced the border, how did you read that into what I said? However, the Democrats in Congress have pulled the funding to complete the “Wall.” The Israelis have proved a fence works.
Comment by Cincinnatus Tuesday, Aug 17, 10 @ 8:03 am
My hunch is she was speaking for them with words and everything.
You have to be able to stereotype all Republicans and conservatives with a similar level of narrow mindedness exhibited by Pulido to write that.
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Aug 17, 10 @ 8:43 am
Why didn’t Brady make Plummer the chairman of his veteran’s committee instead of Ron Stephens?
Comment by Highland, IL Tuesday, Aug 17, 10 @ 10:51 am
@ Vanilla — Stating the obvious is “narrow minded” just cuz you don’t like the obvious thing that was stated?
You crack me up kiddo.
Comment by G. Willickers Wednesday, Aug 18, 10 @ 1:36 am
@ Cincinattus — You brought up this pipedream of “completely securing” the border.
Israelis built a fence but they still get attacked. How is that proving their fence works?
Comment by G. Willickers Wednesday, Aug 18, 10 @ 1:37 am
[…] Bottom line: Dold very clearly was listed as being endorsed by Eagle Forum throughout the primary season and at least up until July of this year. Throughout July, this magical endorsement began systematically disappearing from various webpages around the Intertubes though it is still listed on some sites including news organizations. If, as Eagle Forum and Bob Dold claim, this extremist group’s endorsement was a mistake it was one heck of a convenient and long-lived mistake which likely would have served to fire up unwitting conservatives during and after the primary. Given how “pervasive” Team Dold’s Internet presence has been, it seems highly improbable that they somehow didn’t know about his name being listed on the Eagle Forum endorsements for the better part of a year. Again, call it half-true, a technicality or just another of Bob Dold’s bizarre Internet adventures but even if it was later pronounced a “mistake” Mr. Dold’s name quite clearly was listed on the Eagle Forum endorsements page for most of this campaign cycle to date. […]
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